New Policy On Distance Learning In Higher Education Sector....!

In compatibility to the declaration of 100 days plan of HRD of service by Hon'ble Human Resources improvement Minister, a New Policy on Distance Learning In Higher Education Sector was drafted.

Foundation

1. Regarding Entry 66 of List 1 of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Parliament is equipped to make laws for the coordination and assurance of norms in establishments for advanced education for research, and logical and specialized foundations. Parliament has instituted laws for releasing this obligation through: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for general Higher Education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education; and other Statutory bodies for different controls. As respects advanced education, through the separation mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was authorized with the accompanying two prime targets, among others: (a) To give chances to advanced education to a vast fragment of populace, particularly burdened gatherings living in remote and rustic regions, grown-ups, housewives and working individuals; and (b) to empower Open University and Distance Education Systems in the instructive example of the nation and to arrange and decide the gauges in such frameworks.

2. The historical backdrop of separation learning or instruction through separation mode in India, goes path back when the colleges began offering training through separation mode for the sake of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/School of Correspondence Education. Back then, the courses in humanities as well as in business were offered through correspondence and taken by those, who, attributable to different reasons, including set number of seats in normal courses, employability, issues of access to the organizations of higher learning and so on., couldn't get themselves selected in the customary 'eye to eye' mode 'in-class' projects.

3. In the ongoing past, the interest for advanced education has expanded massively all through the nation on account of mindfulness about the centrality of advanced education, while the arrangement of advanced education couldn't oblige this regularly expanding interest.

4. In light of the current situation, various foundations including esteemed colleges, private colleges, open (Government) colleges and even different organizations, which are not enabled to grant degrees, have begun getting the money for on the circumstance by offering separation instruction programs in an extensive number of orders, running from humanities to designing and the executives and so forth., and at various dimensions (authentication to under-graduate and post-advanced educations). There is dependably a risk that a portion of these establishments may progress toward becoming 'degree plants' putting forth unacceptable/low quality instruction, therefore dissolving the believability of degrees and different capabilities granted through the separation mode. This requires a far higher level of coordination among the concerned statutory specialists, principally, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and its position - the Distance Education Council (DEC).

5. Legislature of India had cleared up its situation in regard of acknowledgment of degrees, earned through the separation mode, for work under it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.

6. In spite of the dangers alluded to in para 4 over, the importance of separation instruction in giving quality instruction and preparing can't be disregarded. Separation Mode of training has an imperative job for:

(i)providing chance of figuring out how to those, who don't have guide access to up close and personal educating, working people, house-spouses and so on.

(ii)providing chance to working experts to refresh their insight, empowering them to switchover to new teaches and callings and improving their capabilities for professional success.

(iii)exploiting the capability of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the instructing and learning process; and

(iv)achieving the objective of 15% of GER before the finish of eleventh Plan and 20% before the finish of twelfth multi year Plan.

7. So as to release the Constitutional duty of assurance and support of the norms in Higher Education, by guaranteeing coordination among different statutory administrative experts as additionally to guarantee the advancement of open and separation training framework in the nation to meet the desires of every single cross-segment of individuals for advanced education, the accompanying strategy in regard of separation learning is set down:

(an) In request to guarantee appropriate coordination in control of models of advanced education in various trains through different modes [i.e. eye to eye and distance] as likewise to guarantee validity of degrees/recognition and testaments granted by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, a peak body, in particular, National Commission for Higher Education and Research will be set up in accordance with the suggestions of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Knowledge Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance

Training of the said Commission, will attempt the activity of coordination, assurance and upkeep of guidelines of instruction through the separation mode. Pending foundation of this body:

(I) Only those projects, which don't include broad down to earth course work, will be admissible through the separation mode.

(ii) Universities/establishments will outline statutes/controls/rules, all things considered, illuminating the diagram of the projects to be offered through the separation mode demonstrating the quantity of required credits, rundown of courses with doled out credits, perusing references notwithstanding self learning material, long periods of study, contact classes at study focuses, assignments, examination and assessment process, reviewing and so forth.

(iii) DEC of IGNOU will just evaluate the skill of college/establishment in regard of leading separation instruction programs by a group of specialists, whose report will be put before the Council of DEC for thought.

(iv) The endorsement will be given simply after thought by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the reason, least number of obligatory gatherings of DEC might be endorsed.

(v) AICTE would be coordinated under area 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to guarantee accreditation of the projects in Computer Sciences, Information Technology and Management purposed to be offered by an organization/college through the separation mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).

(vi) UGC and AICTE would be coordinated under segment 20 (1) of their particular Acts to outline definite directions endorsing norms for different projects/courses, offered through the separation mode under their command,

(vii) No college/foundation, aside from the colleges built up by or under an Act of Parliament/State Legislature before 1985, will offer any program through the separation mode, hereafter, without endorsement from DEC and accreditation by NBA. Notwithstanding, the colleges/organizations as of now offering projects in Humanities, Commerce/Business/Social Sciences/Computer Sciences and Information Technology and Management, might be permitted to proceed with, subject to the condition to acquire crisp endorsement from DEC and accreditation from NBA inside one year, falling flat which they will need to stop the program and the whole onus regarding the scholarly profession and money related misfortunes of the understudies selected with them, will be on such establishments/colleges.

(viii) In light of perception of Apex Court, ex-post-facto endorsement conceded by any expert for separation training will not be respected and allowed from now on. Be that as it may, the colleges set up by or under an Act of instruction programs in the floods of Humanities/Commerce/Social Sciences previously the year 1991 will be prohibited from this strategy.

(ix) The understudies who have been granted degrees through separation mode by the colleges without taking earlier endorsement of DEC and other statutory bodies, will be given one possibility, if they satisfy the prerequisite of least norms as recommended by the UGC, AICTE or some other important Statutory Authority through Regulation, to show up in examinations in such papers as chosen by the college assigned to direct the examination. On the off chance that these understudies qualify in this examination, the college concerned will issue a declaration. The degree alongside the said qualifying testament might be perceived with the end goal of business/advancement under Central Government.

(x) An illumination will be issued with reference to Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995 that it will not be appropriate on to the degrees/confirmations granted by the colleges built up by or under an Act of Parliament or State Legislature before 1985, in the floods of Humanities/Commerce and Social Sciences.

(xi) The arrangement activities spelt out in succeeding sections will be similarly material to organizations offering separation training/expecting to offer separation instruction.

(b) All colleges and foundations offering programs through the separation mode will need earlier acknowledgment/endorsement for offering such projects and accreditation from assigned able specialist, obligatorily in regard of the projects offered by them. The violators of this will be obligated for fitting punishment as recommended by law. The colleges/organizations offering training through separation mode and found engaged with bamboozling of understudies/individuals by giving incorrectly/false data or wilfully smothering the data will likewise be managed entirely under the corrective arrangements of law.

(c) The colleges/establishments will have their very own investigation habitats for vis-à-vis guiding and evacuation of troubles as additionally to look for other scholastic and authoritative help. Diversifying of separation training by any college, establishments whether open or private will not be permitted......!